e may only be in the early days of July, but at this point it certainly seems as though Iron Man is the surprise hit of the summer. It was always assumed that the movie would be well liked, but no one could have predicted the massive critical and commercial success the film has become (it has already grossed over $300 million in North America alone). This is a project about a known, but hardly universally loved comic book hero starring an actor known primarily for his drug habits and directed by that guy who wrote and starred in Swingers. As far as blockbusters go, the movie was a risk and yet it became a colossal success. The movie has transformed Robert Downey Jr. into a bankable movie star and Jon Favreau into a major player as a director. The success is long overdue for the talented duo and their next projects are now highly anticipated.

In typical Hollywood fashion, Downey Jr. signed up for two sequels when he agreed to appear in Iron Man, but Favreau was only committed to one movie. Given the size of the production, this was understandable. After all, coming into Iron Man Favreau was a former actor with only one hit under his belt as a director (the surprisingly good Will Ferrell Christmas movie Elf). However, his undeniable skills working with actors and crafting subtle character comedy meshed perfectly with Iron Man. The risk proved to be an inspired choice and when Marvel announced plans to make a sequel following Iron Man's massive opening weekend, they made no effort to secure the director's crucial involvement in the sequel.